Indigenous Student Information FAQ
The College Employer Council (who represent the 24 Ontario Public Colleges), and OPSEU CAAT-A bargaining team (who represent full-time and partial-load professors, instructors, librarians, and counsellors) have been in negotiations since July 2024. The parties are commonly referred to as CEC and CAAT-A Bargaining team/ Union.
Late Wednesday, January 7, both parties agreed to binding arbitration.and a labour disruption has been averted.
Winter semester classes and activities are continuing as planned.
The following FAQ was created to help answer student questions about negotiations.
- Both parties have agreed to binding arbitration, and there will not be a strike by the academic bargaining unit on January 9, or in the foreseeable future.
- The winter semester is proceeding as originally planned.
Yes, classes and activities are running as per usual.
- On January 7, 2025 both parties agreed to enter into binding arbitration. The parties have mutually agreed to arbitrate and find compromises, and then arbitrator Kaplan will further mediate and arbitrate on proposals that remain unsolved.
- Classes will continue to run as scheduled.
- Both parties submit unresolved proposals to a mutually agreed upon arbitrator.
- The arbitrator will first try to mediate and have the parties come to a mutual agreement on outstanding proposals.
- If the parties are unable to reach a conclusion, the arbitrator will step in and issue a ruling.
- Arbitration is the process of having an independent person or body officially appointed to settle a dispute on the interpretation, application, administration or alleged violation of the collective agreement.
- No, there will be no strike by the academic bargaining unit.
- An arbitrator will make a decision if the parties cannot come to an agreement.
- The College will update students and community partners if there is a labour disruption that interrupts college operations. College email, this FAQ, and URSLC will be the primary channels used to ensure students are equipped with the information that they need.
- There will be no strike on Thursday, January 9, 2025 or for the foreseeable future by the academic bargaining unit. The winter semester will continue as originally planned.
- There will be no strike on Thursday, January 9, 2025 or for the foreseeable future by the academic bargaining unit. The winter semester will continue as originally planned.
- In any case of a labour disruption, colleges do everything possible to ensure that all students have the opportunity to complete the semester.
- Historically, no semester has been lost to a strike. Students have always been provided opportunities to complete classes and graduate.
- At the Colleges, strikes are peaceful forms of protest
- Picket lines are formed by striking employees and people can be delayed from entering campus.
- A strike may take different forms. In general, it is a refusal to work in the normal way that is designed to slow down, disrupt, or stop college operations. A strike is organized by a Union as a form of protest typically in an attempt to force the employer to agree to their demands.
- Unfortunately, in the Colleges, when faculty members choose to apply pressure by slowing down, disrupting or stopping work, these actions lead to varying degrees of negative impact on the academic delivery.
- Labour action does mean a strike. Strike action can take various forms, which include: work-to-rule, partial walk-out, rotating strike, all the way up to a full walk out.
- Only the Union can determine what forms of strike action will occur and when.
- Work-to-rule, partial walk-out, rotating strike, and full walk-out are all forms of strike.
- In work-to-rule, employees perform only the duties that have been assigned, strictly adhering to policy and contract obligations.
- In a partial walk-out, employees refuse to perform some of their assigned duties.
- In a rotating strike, employees walk out entirely for short periods of time at different institutions.
- In a full walk-out strike, employees withdraw all their services and choose to walk the picket line.
- The Colleges cannot force faculty to go on strike.
- Only the Union team can determine what form of strike action it engages in (work-to-rule, partial walk-out, rotating strikes, walk-out).
- The College will not lock the faculty out (which means the employer will not force a work stoppage.)
- They can last for a day or for an extended period of time.
- In 2017, the Union engaged in a full walk-out strike that lasted for more than 5 weeks. Students were still able to complete their semester.
- Yes, campuses will remain open.
- When picket lines occur, picketers cannot prevent access to those looking to enter campus (however, as mentioned above, they can rightfully delay access for up to 10 minutes.) Extra time may be required to cross the picket line safely and respectfully.
- In the event of a full walk-out which includes picket lines, information will be provided by the College on how to safely access campus.
- The CEC website contains information on the bargaining process and an ongoing archive of proposals from both parties.
- Additionally, all news updates are published across CEC social media channels and the website.
- Please visit CollegeEmployerCouncil.ca or follow the CEC on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn.